Hydroelectricity in Canada

Electricity generation
in Canada

According to the International Hydropower Association, Canada is the fourth largest producer of hydroelectricity in the world in 2021 after the United States, Brazil, and China.[1] In 2019, Canada produced 632.2 TWh of electricity with 60% of energy coming from Hydroelectric and Tidal Energy Sources).[2]

Some provinces and territories, such as British Columbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec and Yukon produce over 90% of their electricity from Hydro. All of the dams with large reservoirs were completed before 1990, since then most development has been run-of-the-river, both large and small. Natural Resources Canada calculates the current installed small hydro capacity is 3,400 MW, with an estimated potential of 15,000 MW.[3] A report on the future of hydroelectricity, suggests the remaining 40% potential will remain undeveloped up to 2050, citing a lack of public acceptance.[4] The widespread usage of hydroelectricity, including being incorporated into electric utility names such as Toronto Hydro or BC Hydro, has led to "hydro" being used in some parts of Canada to refer to electricity in general, regardless of source.[5][6]

As of 2019, Canada had 81 GW of installed hydroelectric capacity, producing about 400 TWh of electricity.[7]

  1. ^ https://assets-global.website-files.com/5f749e4b9399c80b5e421384/60c2207c71746c499c0cd297_2021%20Hydropower%20Status%20Report%20-%20International%20Hydropower%20Association%20Reduced%20file%20size.pdf. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. ^ "CER – Provincial and Territorial Energy Profiles – Canada". 23 August 2023.
  3. ^ "Small Hydropower | Natural Resources Canada". Archived from the original on 2015-05-09. Retrieved 2015-06-03.
  4. ^ http://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/hydropower_essentials.pdf Archived 2017-03-29 at the Wayback Machine graph pg3
  5. ^ Beam, Alex (August 21, 1996). "Eh? The Oxford Dictionary of Canadian English". Slate. Retrieved September 17, 2018. Even though Canadians cheerfully use nuclear power and don't whine about it, they talk of paying the 'hydro' (electricity) bill.
  6. ^ Laux, Sara (June 12, 2017). "7 words you'll only hear in Canada". Cottage Life. Blue Ant Media. Retrieved September 17, 2018. In many parts of Canada, 'hydro' refers to electricity
  7. ^ http://www.hydropower.org/publications/2020-hydropower-status-report pg45